Sport

Dorset Sunday: Old Bournemouthians collapse in title decider at Dewlish

OLD Bournemouthians surrendered the Dorset Sunday title after a woeful start with the bat led to an eight-wicket thumping in their championship decider at Dewlish.

Malick Kudmany’s men were left reeling by a three-wicket blast having put just eight runs on the board at the Cheselbourne Cricket Ground as openers Shanthan Godula and James Dugan fell for single figures before Nicholas Reeves was dismissed for a duck.

Max Huntley (33) briefly stemmed the tide, producing a 58 for the fourth wicket alongside Christian Blake but the downward spiral was set to continue as the visitors laboured to 85 for seven.

Tailenders Thomas Jeans (28*) and Robert Fenwick (39) added much-needed impetus but Old Bournemouthians’ total of 154 for nine was never likely to be enough.

And so it proved as Tom Hewish won the match with an unbeaten knock of 91 from 103 deliveries.

Fellow opener Stephen Hillier managed 31 before being dismissed by Richard Rampersad, and although Dewlish’s Dan Belt quickly followed, Lewis Chutter (24*) teamed up with Hewish to secure victory with five overs to spare.

Winton finished bottom of the pile after being bowled out for 91 at St Georges. The hosts racked up 92 for two, while Swanage avoided the wooden spoon despite their 190-run hammering at Portland Red Triangle.

The home side registered an imperious 313 for five before wiping out the Swans for 123.

Comments (1)

It says a lot about the state of cricket in Dorset, especially the failing Sunday League, when a team who were playing in Division Four a year ago are elevated to the top division, because another team wanted to step down, and they come within a whisker of winning the title! OB's weren't even the best side in Division Four last year, so it's clear that the standard across all four divisions is very poor compared to a decade or so ago when the top division was probably the strongest one in the area, Southern League Gold excepted.

There are many reasons why the league is failing. Not enough players of course, but also the league's bizarre rule changes. For example, a bowler used to be able to bowl 12 overs. That has now been cut by a third to just 8 overs. If you're an opening bowler, don't bat well and you field first, your Sunday is finished by 2-30pm! Hopeless and absolutely no incentive to give up a chunk of your weekend for.

Dorset League. You need a change at the top. You need fresh blood and fresh ideas because as things stand Dorset cricket will be finished within five years. There's even talk of this year being the last for the Sunday League as teams keep pulling out. Sort it out!

It says a lot about the state of cricket in Dorset, especially the failing Sunday League, when a team who were playing in Division Four a year ago are elevated to the top division, because another team wanted to step down, and they come within a whisker of winning the title! OB's weren't even the best side in Division Four last year, so it's clear that the standard across all four divisions is very poor compared to a decade or so ago when the top division was probably the strongest one in the area, Southern League Gold excepted.
There are many reasons why the league is failing. Not enough players of course, but also the league's bizarre rule changes. For example, a bowler used to be able to bowl 12 overs. That has now been cut by a third to just 8 overs. If you're an opening bowler, don't bat well and you field first, your Sunday is finished by 2-30pm! Hopeless and absolutely no incentive to give up a chunk of your weekend for.
Dorset League. You need a change at the top. You need fresh blood and fresh ideas because as things stand Dorset cricket will be finished within five years. There's even talk of this year being the last for the Sunday League as teams keep pulling out. Sort it out!Minty Fresh